Detergent pre-treatment or pre-spotting compositions, solids or sticks are known in the art and are known to commonly use solvent materials and typically nonionic surfactants. For example, see DiSalvo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,023; Kelly, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,962; Steinhauer et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,644; and Sabol, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,762. These patents describe pre-treatment or pre-spotting compositions containing a small amount of water and a substantial proportion of solvent, nonionic surfactant and a solidification or gelling agent. Wilsberg, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,556, and Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,962 describe compositions which include hydrocarbon solvent. Borrello, U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,521 teaches liquid aqueous pre-spot or pre-treatment compositions containing about 35 wt % water and substantial water soluble solvent compositions to create a use solution. Such aqueous and solvent based materials are typically less effective on oily hydrophobic soils due to the nature of the soil and its hydrophobicity with respect to the aqueous formulated materials. A solvent based laundry pre-treatment stick is disclosed in Steinhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,644, and includes a minor amount of water but relatively large percent of immiscible solvent in separate but combined phases. Klier et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,662 and Yang, U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,829, describe pre-spot or pre-treatment compositions. One liquid detergent composition having a specialized phosphate ester solubilizer is disclosed in Klajnscek, U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,949. The patent discloses preferred formulations for use in a liquid stabilized laundry detergent.
While these prior art pre-spot or pre-treatment compositions have some utility in pre-spotting common household laundry, commercial laundry having large quantities of hydrophobic soils, particularly oily or greasy soils containing substantial quantities of particulate matter, can resist conventional pre-spotting pre-treatments and also resist the effects of conventional laundry detergents even in industrial or commercial laundry machines such as commercial 450 pound wash wheels or tunnel washers. A substantial need exists for improved pre-spotting or pre-treating laundry compositions.
The invention relates to a parts cleaning composition and can promote the removal of hydrophobic and particulate soil from parts or hard surfaces, particularly those parts encountered in the engine cleaning industry. Parts cleaning compositions commonly used include hydrocarbon solvent. These types of compositions generally provide a high level of volatile organic compounds, are flammable and corrosive, and are tough on a worker's hands.